Purchas his pilgrimes. part 3 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

* 1.1Relations of VINCENTIVS BELVACENSIS, the most of which hee receiued from Frier SIMON de Sancto Quintino, one of the foure Friers sent by Pope INNOCENT the Fourth to the Tartars: seruing to the illustration of the former.

ANno, 1246. Cuyne, who is also ca••led Gog Cham, was aduanced to the Imperiall Throne of [ 50] the Tartars. All their Barons being assembled, placed a golden seat in the midst, whereon they caused him to sit; and set a Sword before him, saying. Wee will, and desire, and command thee to rule ouer vs. He demanded if they were contented, to doe, come, goe, slay as he should command. They answered yea. Then said he, The word of my mouth shall henceforth bee my Sword: and they all consented. After this they spread a Felt on the ground, and set him there∣on, saying, Looke vpwards and acknowledge God, and looke downe on the Felt whereon thou sittest. If thou shalt gouerne well, wilt be liberall, iust, and honour thy Princes according to their dignitie, thou shalt reigne magnificent, and the whole World shall be subiect to thy Dominion, and God will giue thee all thy hearts desire; if otherwise thou shalt bee miserable and so poore, that the Felt shall not bee left thee whereon thou sittest. This done, they set his Wife with him on the Felt: and lifted them vp [ 60] both so sitting,* 1.2 and proclaimed them Emperour and Empresse of the Tartars. After which they brought before him infinite store of Gold, and Siluer, and Gemmes, with all which remayned to Chagadan, who distributed what he pleased, and reserued the rest. Then began they to drinke vntill night after their manner; and afterward sodden flesh came in Carts without Salt, and a∣mongst

foure or fiue they distributed a ioynt thereof. They call him Can, concealing his proper name, and he boasts himselfe the Sonne of God. He hath a Prince in the Confines of Persia, cal∣led Baioth Noy (Noy, signifieth his dignitie, Baioth is his name) which hath subdued the Coun∣tries of Christians and Saracens to the Mediterranean Sea. Another called Corenzam remayneth in the West Frontiers with threescore thousand vnder him. The greatest Prince is Bathoth,* 1.3 who hath vnder him one hundred and threescore thousand Tartars, and foure hundred and fiftie thou∣sand Christians and others. The Chams forces are innumerable.

Anno Dom. 1247. Frier Ascelinus sent by the Pope, came into the Campe of the Tartars with other Friers Preachers: where the Captayne Baioth-noy, by Messengers demanded, whose Mes∣sengers they were. Frier Asceline answered for them all, I am the Messenger of the Lord Pope, [ 10] who amongst Christians is greater then any man, reputed a Father and Lord. They replyed, how proudly doe yee say your Pope is greater then any? Knowes he not that the Cham is Son of God, and Baioth-noy and Batho are his Princes? Ascelinus answered, the Pope knowes no•• them, but heares that the Tartars haue comne out of the East, and haue destroyed infinite mul∣titudes. And had he knowne the names of Cham or his Princes, he would not haue omitted their names in the Letters which we bring. But beeing grieued for the slaughters of so many, especially Christians, with the aduice of his Brethren the Cardinals, he hath sent vs to the next Tartarian Armie we could find, to exhort the Generall thereof to cease such attempts, and to repent of that which they haue done. The Messengers went and came diuers times betwixt, e∣uery time in change of Garments, and were very sollicitous for Gifts and Presents which the [ 20] Friers had none to giue. And besides they denyed to performe the Ceremonies of kneeling to Baioth-noy, lest they should thereby intimate a subiection of the Pope to the Tartars:* 1.4 whereupon hee consulted to put them all foure to death, to which a Messenger sent from the Great Cham would not consent. The Friers only would put vp their hoods and bow the head: whereat a Tartar asked whereas you Christians adore stockes and stones, that is Crosses imprinted on them; why doe you refuse to doe so to Baioth-noy, whom Cham the Sonne of God hath commanded to be adored. Ascelinus answered, Christians adore not stockes and stones, but the signe of the Crosse theron, for his sake which dyed on a Crosse,* 1.5 adorning it with his mēbers as precious Iew∣els and consecrating it with his bloud, purchasing thereby our saluation. So cannot wee doe to your Lord. Baioth-noy sent them word, that hee would send them with their Letters to the [ 30] Cham, which they refused. Then he sent for the Letters which were translated first into Persian, and thence into the Tartar Language. Hee held them there with many Trickes and Illusions, many weeks with hard fare and ill vsage. And after much adoe he returned with Baioth-noys an∣swer, hauing first had a Messenger with Letters from the Cham.

BAioth-noys Letter was this to the Pope. The word of Baioth-noy. Pope, know this; thy Mes∣sengers came and brought thy Letters to vs. Thy Messengers spake great words; we know not whe∣ther thou gauest them so in charge, or whether they spake it of themselues. In thy Letters thou hadst written; yee kill, slay, and destroy many men. The precept of God stable and firme, who containeth the face of the whole world, vnto vs is this. Whosoeuer shall heare the Statute on their owne Land, let them yeeld [ 40] Water and Patrimonie, and let them deliuer power to him which contayneth the face of the whole World. But whosoeuer will not heare the Precept and Statute, but shall doe otherwise, let them be rooted out and destroyed. Now we send to you touching that Satute and Precept. If yee will yeeld Water and Patri∣monie on our Land, it is meet that thou Pope thy selfe in thine person come to vs, and to him which con∣tayneth the face of the whole Earth: and if thou wilt not heare the stable Precept of God and of him which contayneth the face of the whole Earth, wee know not, God knowes. It is meet that before thou commest, thou sendest Messengers, and that thou signifiest to vs whether thou commest or no; whether thou wilt compound with vs, or be Enemie. And send an Answere of the Precept quickly to vs. This Precept by the hands of Aybeg and Sargis, we haue sent in the moneth of Iuly, the twentieth day of the Moone. In the Territorie of the Castle Sitiens.

[ 50]

THe Copie of the Chams Letters to Baioth-noy. By the Precept of the liuing God Cin∣gis-cham the Sonne of God, sweete and venerable saith, that God is high ouer all, hee is God immortall, and vpon Earth Cingis-cham, is Lord alone. Wee will that this come into euery place to the hearing of all, to the Prouinces obeying vs, and to the Prouinces, obeying against vs. It is therefore meete that thou O Baioth-noy excite them and make it knowne to them, that this is the commandement of the liuing and immortall God: that thou also incessantly make knowne thy desire touching this, and notifie my commandement in all places, where a Messenger may come. And whosoeuer shall gainsay thee shall be hunted, and his Land shall be wasted. And I assure thee, that who∣soeuer [ 60] shall not heare this my Mandate, shall bee deafe; and whosoeuer shall doe according to this my iudgement, knowing peace and not doing it, shall be lame. Let this my Ordinance come to the knowledge of all. Whosoeuer shall heare and neglect to obserue it shall be destroyed and slaine. Manifest this O Baioth-noy. And whosoeuer desireth the profit of his House, and will serue vs, shall bee saued and honoured. And whosoeuer shall contradict, studie thou to correct them at thine owne pleasure.

Vnto Lewis the French King were sent certayne Messengers from a great man, called Ercal∣thay;* 2.1 * 2.2 and there was present Frier Andrew of Lontumel a Dominican, who knew Dauid the chiefe of them, hauing seene him in the Armie of the Tartars. These brought Letters in Per∣sian and Arabike Letters. They reported also that a great King of the Tartars called Cham was become a Christian, with most of his followers. And now the said Ercalthay had receiued Bap∣tisme and was come forth from Cham with a great Armie to aduance the Christian Faith, and to destroy the Aduersaries thereof; and much desired the French Kings loue. They thought also that the said Ercalthay would the next Easter besiege Baldach. These told the King also of the Tartarian Affaires. Whereupon he sent Messengers with Letters and Iewels to Ercalthay, with a Tent or Chappell of Scarlet fairely embroydered, with the Storie of the Passion, with Orna∣ments [ 10] thereto and things fitting for Diuine Seruice, with a piece of the wood of the Holy Crosse, exhorting him to proceed in the Faith. The Messenger were the foresaid Frier Andrew with two other Friers and two Clerkes. Transcripts of all were sent into France.

Notes

• * 1.1

  V.B. Spec. hist. lib. 32. Mat. Michou. l. 2. c. 5. saith two of them went to the Cham: but they were two o∣thers sent ano∣ther way, Iohn de Plano Carpini and his fellow, whose story is in M. Hak. and in the said Vincent. l. 32.
• * 1.2

  Others call him Ocodai Can
• * 1.3

  Bathu.
• * 1.4

  The foure were Ascelinus▪ Alberike, Alex∣ander, and Si∣mon.
• * 1.5

  See a like di∣stinction of Ethnikes, Aug. in Psal. 113.
• * 2.1

  V. Bel. l. 32 c. 90.
• * 2.2

  This seemes to be that Sar∣tac•• in Rubruq. Ercalthays pre∣tended Letter in Vincent. c. 91.